Sen. Collins: Detainees are dangerous

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Lawmakers say they saw "Proof of Life" video that was key in administration decision

The administration's rationale for trading terror suspects has come under fire

Sen. Marco Rubio said the session shed little new light on the issue

Obama administration officials showed a so-called "Proof of Life" video of Bowe Bergdahl at a classified Senate briefing on Wednesday, but the session failed to convince numerous skeptics that swapping Taliban terror detainees for the captured Army sergeant was the right thing to do.

"I remain as deeply skeptical about this as I did before this conversation that we just had with the administration. For two days now, we've asked questions, many of which have not yet been fully answered," Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican of Florida, told CNN after the briefing.

Since announcing Bergdahl's release this past weekend, administration officials have said they fast-tracked the operation over concerns about his health and safety, which appeared to be in jeopardy.

A senior defense official said on Wednesday that recent intelligence, in addition to two proof-of-life videos released in recent months, underscored the concerns.

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New video shows moment Bergdahl was freed

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New video shows moment Bergdahl was freed03:45

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Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl 5 photos

Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl5 photos

Five detainees at Guantanamo Bay were transferred to Qatar in exchange for the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was being held by the Taliban. Two senior administration officials confirmed the names of the released detainees, whose photos were obtained by WikiLeaks. Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa, seen here, was an early member of the Taliban in 1994 and was interior minister during the Taliban's rule. He was arrested in Pakistan and was transferred to Guantanamo in May 2002. During questioning, Khairkhwa denied all knowledge of extremist activities.

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Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl5 photos

Mullah Mohammad Fazl commanded the main force fighting the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance in 2001, and served as chief of army staff under the Taliban regime. Fazl was detained after surrendering to Abdul Rashid Dostam, the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community, in November 2001. He was transferred into U.S. custody in December 2001 and was one of the first arrivals at Guantanamo, where he was assessed as having high intelligence value.

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Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl5 photos

Mullah Norullah Noori served as governor of Balkh province in the Taliban regime and played some role in coordinating the fight against the Northern Alliance. Like Fazl, Noori was detained after surrendering to Dostam, the Uzbek leader, in 2001.

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Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl5 photos

Abdul Haq Wasiq was the deputy chief of the Taliban regime's intelligence service. Wasiq claimed, according to an administrative review, that he was arrested while trying to help the United States locate senior Taliban figures. He denied any links to militant groups.

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Guantanamo detainees swapped for Bergdahl5 photos

Mohammad Nabi Omari was a minor Taliban official in Khost Province and was the Taliban's chief of communications and helped al Qaeda members escape from Afghanistan to Pakistan. He also said that he had worked with a U.S. operative named Mark to try to track down Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

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EXPAND GALLERY

CNN has reported on the existence of the most recent video, believed to be recorded last December, which U.S. officials have said showed a marked deterioration in Bergdahl's condition.

Bergdahl was the only remaining U.S. military captive from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The video was short, and Bergdahl spoke English, said Kirk. He spoke softly and slowly, almost slurring. There were references to the recent death of Nelson Mandela in the video.

Kirk said there was no new information from the officials who briefed the senators on what Bergdahl's ailments were.

"His condition in the video made it clear he was not in good condition and this was a proof of life video we insisted on before negotiations commenced. Once having seen it, as we saw it, I'm sure there was great concern about his condition," Democrat Richard Durbin of Illinois said.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, like several other senators, was skeptical the video provided enough evidence to warrant the extraordinary prisoner swap that some lawmakers called too open ended and could possibly have repercussions for American security down the road.

"You could tell he had been drugged and he was in a different state," Manchin said.

Adding later: "That did not sell me at all. The proof of life was five months ago, December ... That was not the person who was released here. He was not in that dire situation when he was released."

Others noted that it took five months for the White House to cut a deal to free Bergdhal after seeing the video.

Complex negotiations were conducted through the government of Qatar, which accepted the transfer of the five Taliban prisoners who had been held for years at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Several senators said the video should be made public. It's not clear if that will happen.

The administration officials told the senators that none of the detainees in question were involved in attacks against the United States.

"I'm a little bit more reassured" of the President's decision, Kirk said, adding, however, that the administration could not guarantee that the former detainees wouldn't return to the battlefield.

Republicans and Democrats raised serious concerns more than two years ago with the administration about the possibility of such a swap but said promised consultation never materialized.

In all discussions and the private communications about such a step, there were exchanges about possible conditions placed on the detainees -- including renouncing al Qaeda and violence in the region. But those terms were not included in the final deal.